Strawberries
by the tangerine otaku
Summary: Oneshot, Fluff . Sakura prepares Strawberries for Syaoran. Hmm. No one else is around...


Warning - Fluff. Fluffy fluff. I don't write fluffs, as I typically don't like fluffs, so let's see how I did.

(Version 2. Fixed some grammatical errors and things.)

**Disclaimer:** TRC belongs to CLAMP, Sakura and Syaoran both are theirs as well. The plate of strawberries, however, is all mine. X3

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Strawberries, they had called them. The sweet red fruit, with the green leafy topping. Seeds covered nearly the whole surface, she had noted. How could something with so much bitterness on its exterior be so sweet? She really didn't understand it, as she had yet to try one, but still, she had bought them.

They would be a gift, she had decided, as she carefully cut the leafy top off of a berry, and placed it on the plate beside the others. A springtime treat for...

Sakura felt her cheeks turn pink. Strawberries for Syaoran-kun. Thinking about him once again succeeded in distracting her, causing one of the strawberries to fall to the floor. Still blushing, she carefully picked it up, and walked over to the sink to clean it.

But really... Syaoran was such a kind person. Always working so hard for the sake of her feathers, and never complaining. He never asked for anything in return from her. She let the cool sink water run over her hands, and the fruit, as she recalled the reason for her preparing strawberries.

A gift, of thanks, to her knight. The one who protected her, unconditionally. Strawberries for the one she owed so much to. Affection for the one she...

Her heart throbbed, suddenly harder than it had previously.

"I'm home, Sakura-hime!"

The one she loved. Syaoran-kun.

"W-welcome back, Syaoran-kun!" She stumbled over the first syllables and then shook her head. No. She had to be assertive. This was how she felt, and she should express herself appropriately. "I have a surprise for you, Syaoran-kun! Just... wait on the porch for me."

The porch. A perfect spot to watch the sunset. Their beach-front residence for this world was small, but the view from the porch swing was breathtaking. A springtime sunset would be the perfect backdrop for giving her thanks. And perhaps telling... perhaps telling him something else as well...

"O-okay... Hime... I'll wait."

Yes! Perfect. She shut off the sink, and lightly returned the washed strawberry to the plate, making a total of 15 on the plate. Funny... His age was fifteen, wasn't it? She had never asked what his birthday was, but he was her age, right?

She lifted the tray into her hands, and made her way out of the kitchen, and towards the open door leading outside. The rays of the sun made her squint her eyes as she stepped onto the wooden planking of the deck, but she couldn't stop now. She took a deep breath and looked at him, to find his amber eyes staring directly into her emerald ones, full of curiosity at the tray she held in her hands.

"Sakura-hime? What did you..."

"Strawberries. The man at the store said they're best at this time of year. They're supposed to be wonderful, sweet fruit, so..." A shiver shot up her spine, but she continued. "I wanted to give them to you, Syaoran-kun. To thank you." She sat down on the step where Syaoran sat, and extended the tray to him.

Syaoran smiled at her, a look of surprise and gratitude on his face. "You don't need to thank me for anything, Princess. It's really nothing..."

"Sakura." She completed his sentance. Jade met puzzled amber.

"...Huh?"

"You do so much for me. You listen to me when I'm afraid. You believe me when no one else will... I have everything to thank you for, and you still call me as if I'm your superior."

Syaoran smiled, apologetically, his eyes closed. Chocolate hair fell forward masking his eyes slightly. "But you are a princess, Sakura-hime. I am only a commoner."

"You're not common. You're... you're really wonderful, Syaoran-kun. So... I want you to call me Sakura, from now on." She leaned closer to him, determination in her eyes. Syaoran's eyes widened, at her words, but he said nothing.

"I can call you Syaoran as well, right?"

Syaoran looked down for a moment, his brown bangs masking his face. Exhaling deeply, he looked back at the princess, and smiled. A true smile, matching the emotion in his eyes, for the first time she could remember. "If that is what you wish... Sakura."

Sakura beamed. "Please... have a strawberry." She watched, anxiously as he extended his had to pick up the small fruit from the plate, and lifted it to his lips, biting it slowly. She held her breath, as he looked at the red juice that trickled down his fingers, and stained the area near his mouth. Quickly, he popped the rest of the first berry into his mouth, and reached for another one.

Sakura watched, eyes wide, as he happily ate 5 more berries, only occasionally looking in her direction to give an approving smile. By the time the fifth one had been devoured, red juice covered much of Syaoran's mouth, chin and fingertips. She hadn't thought to bring napkins for the fruit. She thought she could go get some... or maybe she could...

Sakura slid closer to Syaoran, as he eyed the red liquid on his fingertips, blushing at his momentary sloppiness. "Ahh..." He whispered, looking for a way to clean his hands. He turned to sit up, when Sakura grabbed his wrist.

"...Wait." She whispered, raising his hand to her face, fingers trembling. Lightly, she raised each finger to her mouth, and grazed it with her tongue, clearing the sticky red mess from his hands, as he looked on, speechless.

"You have some here, too..." She whispered, leaning in towards his ear as she did so. She moved, lower down to his face, and let her nose trail lightly across his cheek, as she came to the corners of his mouth, where strawberry stains remained.

Delicately, she pressed her lips to his, and he consented, as she kissed him. Their first kiss. A french one, broken only once, for air, and promptly continued, for another few moments. He instinctively wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her closer, as their tongues danced, until at last, both pulled away. Startled amber met panicked jade, and he felt her body tense.

"I-I-I... I'm SO sorry... I wasn't th-thinking and..." She leaned back, only to find his arm preventing her from moving away. She stared at him, breathless, and he stared calmly back.

"No... don't apologize..." He whispered, wrapping both arms around her, pulling her into a tight embrace. She let her head rest on his shoulder, and closed her eyes. "That was okay, wasn't it?" HIs warm breath on her cheek...

"Only if you feel the same way I do..." She replied, lifting her head to look up at him.

Syaoran smiled. "I do..." He let his cheek rest on her head, taking slow deep breaths, taking in her very essence. "Thank you for the strawberries."

Sakura giggled, and closed her eyes, as the rays of the fading sun cast two, long, combined shadows across the floor.

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Fluuufff. -grumbles- Written on a dare from my buddy Moon Hime. I dared her to write angst, and she dared me to write fluff. This is what happened. XD Much love for Moon for nearly bribing me into it.

Erm... and now, I return to the lovable land of angst to work on my chaptired fics. -scampers away-


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